• Journal of Distribution Research
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.85-114
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• 1996

The franchise system has become more widely adopted by Korean distribution industries than before as foreign direct investment is liberalized in these industries. However, a number of problems has arisen between franchisers and franchisees recently. In this regard, the objective of this study is to identify problems arisen between franchisers and franchisees of convenience store operation. More specifically, this paper investigates how credibility between two parties is affected by the internal political structures, including bureaucratic structure and relational norms, and impact strategies of franchisers. The results of this study can be summarized as follows : Under rapidly changing channel environment, credibility between franchisers and franchisees tend to be characterized as the bureaucratic structure rather than relational norms. This result suggests that franchisees are more likely to recognize the power of franchisers in Korean convenience stores. This paper also shows that the adoption of coercive impact strategies decreases credibility and vice versa. The results of this paper suggest following implications. In order to have mutually beneficial relationship franchisers and franchisees have to share benefits and costs incurred by their convenience store operation, and to raise their ability to revise contract terms to accommodate changes in external environments. It is also important for the development of convenience store operation to construct more efficient relationship between franchisers and franchisees by adopting supportive norms rather than opportunistic ones.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.455-462
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• 1990

The purpose of this study were to investigate relationships between the franchisors and franchisees in terms of management, satisfaction and cooperation, and to establish a model for improvement of the foodservice management structure of fast food franchise system. Data were collected from 4 hamburger and 7 noodle franchisors, and from 21 hamburger and 38 noodle franchisees. Surveyed chains were composed of 10 franchisor-owned units and 49 franchised units. The instrument used in this study was Liker type 5-scale guestionnarie. Hypotheses concerning relations between management practices by franchisor and satisfaction of franchisee, cooperation of franchisee were tested using path analysis. Unit management practices by franchisors were significantly different according to the operation style. Franchisor-owned hamburger chains rather than franchised noodle chains were better managed by franchisors in terms of QSC and management support. Management practices by franchisors in the whole showed a significant relationship with the satisfaction, cooperation, and the implementation of standardized recipes by franchisees. Franchisees' satisfaction had a significant positive relation with the cooperation and the implementation of standardized recipes. QSC management practices and management support by franchisors, had no direct relevance to the general cooperation of franchisees, and management practices in the whole had a little relevance to it, but franchisees' satisfaction in terms of QSC and the whole had a strong effect to their QSC Cooperation.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.172-183
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• 2012

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of the entrepreneurship and market orientation of franchisers on the boundary-spanning behavior of franchisees in food-service companies in the Yeongnam region. This study also investigated the relationship between the entrepreneurship and market orientation of franchisers and sought to identify the effect of the boundary-spanning behavior of franchisees on their managerial performance. Based on literature reviews, 4 hypotheses were tested. The subjects responding in this study were owners or managers of franchise restaurants in Youngnam province. A total of 605 questionnaires were analyzed using the factor analysis, a reliability test, and structural equation modeling analysis. The results revealed that first, the entrepreneurship and market orientation of franchisers were positively related to the boundary-spanning behaviors of franchisees, and secondly, the entrepreneurship of franchisers was positively related to their market orientation. Finally, the boundary-spanning behavior of franchisees was positively related to their managerial performance. Therefore, food-service franchisers in Youngnam should have the entrepreneurship and market orientation to lead franchisees to have positive boundary-spanning behaviors and good performance.

• The Korean Journal of Franchise Management
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.17-35
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• 2023

Purpose: As more and more food franchise companies want to expand overseas, related research is becoming more and more necessary. This study aims to examine the critical factors for successful overseas expansion according to the stages of overseas expansion, derive vital associations, and examine the success factors of overseas expansion through semantic network analysis. Research Design, Data, and Methodology: This study conducted in-depth interviews with three food franchise companies that have experienced overseas expansion and conducted semantic network analysis among crucial associations. The semantic network analysis was conducted using the Textom program. Results: Based on the results of the in-depth interview analysis, the factors considered when expanding overseas were categorized as 1) standardization and localization strategies of overseas franchisees, 2) physical environment of overseas franchisees, 3) entry types of overseas franchisees, 4) constraints of overseas franchisees, and 5) success criteria of overseas franchisees. The semantic network analysis based on the corresponding keywords showed that the importance of local partners is very high in common. Conclusion: This study examined and re-categorized the important factors to consider when a restaurant franchise company expands overseas in a step-by-step manner. In addition, an attempt was made to examine the keywords derived from the semantic network analysis objectively. The results provided theoretical and practical implications for the successful overseas expansion of franchise companies.

• The Korean Journal of Franchise Management
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.5-18
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• 2017

Purpose - Although literature has established the relevance of entrepreneurial orientation(EO) in the performance of conventional firms, the constraining nature of franchise arrangement makes one wonders if the same relationship holds for companies operating under the business model. Research design, data, and methodology - Using Nigeria - a country with high potential for franchise growth - as a context, this study aims to explore the relevant entrepreneurial orientation skills exhibited by franchisees and show the extent to which these skills influence their business performance and intention to remain. 26 franchisees purposively selected from six local franchise brands in Nigeria were interviewed. Result and Conclusions - The three classic entrepreneurial orientation factors of innovativeness, proactiveness and risk-taking were found to have varying influence on franchisees' business outcomes. This study answers the calls for more in-depth understanding of the relationship between EO and firm performance generally and, franchise firm performance in particular. The value of this effort lies in the fact that it strengthens theory and updates literature on the subject. Based on the findings, specific recommendations are offered to help improve the practice of franchising in Nigeria.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.408-420
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• 2017

A franchisee owner, as an entrepreneur who is independent from a franchisor, has the greatest influence on the success of franchisee business. The effect of the franchisees' entrepreneurship on their performance can be different from that of self-employed business owners, due to the fundamental nature that the franchisor and franchisees share a standardized operation and business risks. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to demonstrate whether or not the relationship between the entrepreneurship and the performance, which has been popularized in general, is displayed in franchised stores as well. The current study analyzed the influence of innovativeness, risk-taking, and proactiveness on franchisees' performance based on the samples from 109 Small Size Educational Services franchisees. The results show that the franchisees' proactiveness is the only variable that affects the performance while the effect of the other variables was not significant. These results make implications that, for their business success, franchisee owners should be proactive in their target market, without compromising the quality of franchisor's standardized products and services by being innovative and risk-tolerant.

• The Korean Journal of Franchise Management
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.45-60
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• 2020

Propose: The expansion of the delivery market in franchise business is a positive means of advertising and promotion for franchisees and contributes to substantial sales growth for stores. However, unrestricted and uncontrolled delivery sales and business activity of franchisee directly lead to encroachment of business territory between franchisees, resulting in increased operating costs of franchisees and conflicts between franchisees over rights and interests on franchise business. Moreover, in relation to the restrictions on the opening of competitors, it is incapacitating the law intent of prohibiting unfair encroachment of business territory, in the issue of the Fair Franchise Act in regard to guarantee of exclusive sales and business activity rights of franchisee. This study aims to point out major problems arising out of franchisee's infinite competition on delivery sales and business activity that are not restricted or controlled and then suggest legal supplements, policy tasks, and practical implications for improvement on the issues. Literature Review: In franchising business transactions, vertical restraints are associated with the exclusive territory establishment, control of transaction area, restriction of intangible sales and business activity of franchisee. Therefore, in the franchise business, it is necessary to take positive interpretation and application on e-commerce, the area of e-commerce, and delivery trading area and find proper and practical ways, by virtue of constructive attitude of each actor, to reduce the encroachment of business territory and various conflicts caused by unrestricted delivery trading area. Conclusion and suggestion: The finding shows that unrestricted or uncontrolled delivery sales and business activity of franchisees cause encroachment of business territory and many conflicts among franchisees. And this matters also weaken the legislation of the law on the protection of the business territory and can be negative factors that disrupt the protection of identity and sound development of the franchise industry in the long run. Therefore, in the franchise business, it is necessary to take positive interpretation and application on e-commerce, the area of e-commerce, and delivery trading area and find proper and practical ways, by virtue of constructive attitude of each actor, to reduce the encroachment of business territory and various conflicts caused by unrestricted delivery trading area.

• The Korean Journal of Franchise Management
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.35-49
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• 2021

Purpose: The major objective of this study is to develop a model for the impact of franchisors' Gapjil (verbal·nonverbal Gapjil, abusing bargaining position, refusing transaction, false or exaggerated information, restrictive practices, unfair damage compensation) on franchisee's recontract intention. We also examine the mediating role of economic satisfaction and social satisfaction in the relationship between franchisors' Gapjil and franchisee's contract intention. Research design, data, and methodology: Data were collected from franchisee owners located nationwide in Korea. Out of 256 questionaires distributed, a total of 256 questionnaires were returned. After excluding 10 invalid respondent questionnaires, we coded and analyzed 246 valid questionnaires (effective response rate of 96.09%) using frequency, confirmatory factor analysis, correlations analysis, and structural equation modeling with SPSS 22.O and SmartPLS 3.0. Results: The findings of this study are summarized as follows: First, among the Gapjil of the franchisors, restrictive practices and unfair damage compensation had negative effects on economic and social satisfaction, but verbal and nonverbal Gapjil for economic and social satisfaction was not significant. Second, abusing bargaining positions and false or exaggerated information had negative effects on social satisfaction, but for economic satisfaction, found to be insignificant. Third, economic and social satisfaction had positive effects on the franchisee's recontract intention to the franchisor. Conclusion: The following implications of this study are as follows. First, the construct of Gapjil that occurs between the franchisors and the franchisees was first presented, and the franchisors' Gapjil is divided into interpersonal Gapjil and structural Gapjil. Second, the Gapjil of the franchisors can be an important predictor variable in maintaining and developing a long-term relationship between the franchisors and the franchisees. Third, solving conflict due to the Gapjil problem between franchisors and franchisees can be an important factor for franchisors and franchisees to co-survive and thrive in Korean franchise system. Fourth, this study suggest that managing the Gapjil of the franchisors was a important antecedent factor in maintaining long-term relationship between the franchisors and the franchisees. Therefore, this study will help franchisors formulate effective symbiotic marketing strategies to satisfy relationships with franchisees and consequently enhance long-term orientation.

• Journal of Distribution Research
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.141-169
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• 2011

This study compares the business performances and the socioeconomic and sociopsychological characteristics of franchisees and independent business owners (IBOs). On the basis of extant theoretical arguments and empirical evidences it was expected that franchisees are different from IBOs in these aspects because unlike IBOs they are using franchising as their way of businesses and should satisfy the requirements imposed by franchisors. Analyzed in the current study was a national survey database of 424 franchisees and 5,690 IBOs compiled by the Small Enterprise Development Agency in 2011. As expected, it was found that franchisees were significantly different from IBOs in such traits as financial and managerial capabilities, business experiences, demographic and socio-psychological characteristics, information searching efforts, business performances, and their perceptions of business obstacles. It was also found that the effects of these traits on business performances were quite different between franchisees and IBOs. The findings of the current study provide some meaningful suggestions for government agencies. Given that franchises and IBOs have different traits, their demands for governmental policy should be different, and consequently, it might be argued that government agencies should treat the two groups separately and should increase their efforts to develop appropriate supporting policies for each group. With respect to franchisor's practices for franchisee selection, it is also argued that in order to enhance franchisee performances franchisors need to examine thoroughly the traits of prospect franchisees. This study concludes with discussion of several theoretical and methodological limitations for future research.

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.12 no.8
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• pp.43-54
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• 2014

Purpose - This study was based on a theoretical consideration of the structural relationship between the support and control of the franchisor and the satisfaction and strategic response (voice, loyalty, exit, neglect) of the franchisee. First, based on the preceding research, this study systematically organized the type of support and control of the franchisor. Second, the study examined the effects of a franchisor's support and control on the expectancy disconfirmation between affiliated franchisees' expectations before a franchise agreement and performance after operating an affiliated store. Third, the study looked into the effects of expectancy disconfirmation relating to a franchisor's support and control on an affiliated franchisees' general satisfaction. Fourth, this study examined the influence of the general satisfaction of a franchisee on affiliated franchisees' response strategies. Research design, data, and methodology - In this study, the population comprised the nation's franchisors, and the sample comprised franchisees conducting business in Seoul and Gyeonggi-do. A self-administered questionnaire was used; the author and examiner explained the study's parameters to the interviewees in advance, to lessen the rate of rejection of the answers and to maintain reliability. The author distributed 350 copies of the questionnaire and collected 327 copies (93.4%). The author removed 54 copies of the sample, as these copies belonged to franchisees that were not registered by the Fair Trade Commission and/or were thought to have either defects or inadequate answers. The author selected an effective sample of 273 copies to enter data and to do the statistical analysis. Results - Both a reliability analysis and a confirmatory factor analysis were performed to measure reliability and validity, and a structural equation model was used to conduct the hypothesis test and investigate the models. The hypothesis was tested (Table 5). The models had a suitable fit, for instance, χ² = 447.663(df = 212, p = .000), χ²/df = 2.112, GFI = .881, AGFI = .858, RMR = .083, RMSEA = .067, NFI = .932, and CFI = .961. The hypothesis test results were as follows. Hypothesis 1 was accepted (C.R. = -2.339, p = .019). Hypothesis 2 was accepted (C.R. = 15.213, p = .000). Hypothesis 3 was accepted (C.R. = -2.631, p = .006). Hypothesis 4 was accepted (C.R. = 16.271, p = .000). Hypothesis 5 was accepted (C.R. = 2.391, p = .017). Hypothesis 6 was accepted (C.R. = 5.777, p = .000). Hypothesis 7 was accepted (C.R. = 17.153, p = .000). Hypothesis 8 was accepted (C.R. = 24.746, p = .000). Hypothesis 9 was accepted (C.R. = -10.150, p = .000). Hypothesis 10 was accepted (C.R. = -12.124, p = .000). Conclusions - The research results showed that expectations for a franchisor's support and control had a significant influence on expectation disconfirmation in a negative way, whereas the performance of support and control were found to have a significant influence on expectation disconfirmation in a positive way. In addition, the expectation disconfirmation of support and control was found to have a significant influence on satisfaction of franchisees in a positive way. Generally, regarding the research on control, control is found to have a negative influence on the satisfaction of franchisees, but this study proves that control is found to affect it in a positive way through conformity.